the financier-第92节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


d；　which　I　doubt。　　But　that's　nayther　here　nor　there　now。　　What　can　ye　want　with　her　hid　away　somewhere？　Ye　can't　marry　her。　　Ye　can't　get　a　divorce。　　Ye've　got　your　hands　full　fightin'　your　lawsuits　and　kapin'　yourself　out　of　jail。　　She'll　only　be　an　added　expense　to　ye；　and　ye'll　be　wantin'　all　the　money　ye　have　for　other　things；　I'm　thinkin'。　　Why　should　ye　want　to　be　takin'　her　away　from　a　dacent　home　and　makin'　something　out　of　her　that　ye'd　be　ashamed　to　marry　if　you　could？　The　laist　ye　could　do；　if　ye　were　any　kind　of　a　man　at　all；　and　had　any　of　that　thing　that　ye're　plased　to　call　love；　would　be　to　lave　her　at　home　and　keep　her　as　respectable　as　possible。　　Mind　ye；　I'm　not　thinkin'　she　isn't　ten　thousand　times　too　good　for　ye；　whatever　ye've　made　of　her。　　But　if　ye　had　any　sinse　of　dacency　left；　ye　wouldn't　let　her　shame　her　family　and　break　her　old　mother's　heart；　and　that　for　no　purpose　except　to　make　her　worse　than　she　is　already。　　What　good　can　ye　get　out　of　it；　now？　What　good　can　ye　expect　to　come　of　it？　Be　hivins；　if　ye　had　any　sinse　at　all　I　should　think　ye　could　see　that　for　yerself。　　Ye're　only　addin'　to　your　troubles；　not　takin'　away　from　themand　she'll　not　thank　ye　for　that　later　on。〃

He　stopped；　rather　astonished　that　he　should　have　been　drawn　into　an　argument。　　His　contempt　for　this　man　was　so　great　that　he　could　scarcely　look　at　him；　but　his　duty　and　his　need　was　to　get　Aileen　back。　　Cowperwood　looked　at　him　as　one　who　gives　serious　attention　to　another。　　He　seemed　to　be　thinking　deeply　over　what　Butler　had　said。

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　Mr。　Butler；〃　he　said；　〃I　did　not　want　Aileen　to　leave　your　home　at　all；　and　she　will　tell　you　so；　if　you　ever　talk　to　her　about　it。　　I　did　my　best　to　persuade　her　not　to；　and　when　she　insisted　on　going　the　only　thing　I　could　do　was　to　be　sure　she　would　be　comfortable　wherever　she　went。　　She　was　greatly　outraged　to　think　you　should　have　put　detectives　on　her　trail。　　That；　and　the　fact　that　you　wanted　to　send　her　away　somewhere　against　her　will；　was　the　principal　reasons　for　her　leaving。　　I　assure　you　I　did　not　want　her　to　go。　　I　think　you　forget　sometimes；　Mr。　Butler；　that　Aileen　is　a　grown　woman；　and　that　she　has　a　will　of　her　own。　　You　think　I　control　her　to　her　great　disadvantage。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　am　very　much　in　love　with　her；　and　have　been　for　three　or　four　years；　and　if　you　know　anything　about　love　you　know　that　it　doesn't　always　mean　control。　I'm　not　doing　Aileen　any　injustice　when　I　say　that　she　has　had　as　much　influence　on　me　as　I　have　had　on　her。　　I　love　her；　and　that's　the　cause　of　all　the　trouble。　　You　come　and　insist　that　I　shall　return　your　daughter　to　you。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　don't　know　whether　I　can　or　not。　　I　don't　know　that　she　would　go　if　I　wanted　her　to。　　She　might　turn　on　me　and　say　that　I　didn't　care　for　her　any　more。　　That　is　not　true；　and　I　would　not　want　her　to　feel　that　way。　　She　is　greatly　hurt；　as　I　told　you；　by　what　you　did　to　her；　and　the　fact　that　you　want　her　to　leave　Philadelphia。　　You　can　do　as　much　to　remedy　that　as　I　can。　　I　could　tell　you　where　she　is；　but　I　do　not　know　that　I　want　to。　　Certainly　not　until　I　know　what　your　attitude　toward　her　and　this　whole　proposition　is　to　be。〃

He　paused　and　looked　calmly　at　the　old　contractor；　who　eyed　him　grimly　in　return。

〃What　proposition　are　ye　talkin'　about？〃　asked　Butler；　interested　by　the　peculiar　developments　of　this　argument。　　In　spite　of　himself　he　was　getting　a　slightly　different　angle　on　the　whole　situation。　The　scene　was　shifting　to　a　certain　extent。　　Cowperwood　appeared　to　be　reasonably　sincere　in　the　matter。　　His　promises　might　all　be　wrong；　but　perhaps　he　did　love　Aileen；　and　it　was　possible　that　he　did　intend　to　get　a　divorce　from　his　wife　some　time　and　marry　her。　　Divorce；　as　Butler　knew；　was　against　the　rules　of　the　Catholic　Church；　which　he　so　much　revered。　　The　laws　of　God　and　any　sense　of　decency　commanded　that　Cowperwood　should　not　desert　his　wife　and　children　and　take　up　with　another　womannot　even　Aileen；　in　order　to　save　her。　　It　was　a　criminal　thing　to　plan；　sociologically　speaking；　and　showed　what　a　villain　Cowperwood　inherently　was；　but；　nevertheless；　Cowperwood　was　not　a　Catholic；　his　views　of　life　were　not　the　same　as　his　own；　Butler's；　and　besides　and　worst　of　all　（no　doubt　due　in　part　to　Aileen's　own　temperament）；　he　had　compromised　her　situation　very　materially。　　She　might　not　easily　be　restored　to　a　sense　of　of　the　normal　and　decent；　and　so　the　matter　was　worth　taking　into　thought。　　Butler　knew　that　ultimately　he　could　not　countenance　any　such　thingcertainly　not；　and　keep　his　faith　with　the　Churchbut　he　was　human　enough　none　the　less　to　consider　it。　　Besides；　he　wanted　Aileen　to　come　back；　and　Aileen　from　now　on；　he　knew；　would　have　some　say　as　to　what　her　future　should　be。

〃Well；　it's　simple　enough；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃I　should　like　to　have　you　withdraw　your　opposition　to　Aileen's　remaining　in　Philadelphia；　for　one　thing；　and　for　another；　I　should　like　you　to　stop　your　attacks　on　me。〃　　Cowperwood　smiled　in　an　ingratiating　way。　　He　hoped　really　to　placate　Butler　in　part　by　his　generous　attitude　throughout　this　procedure。　　〃I　can't　make　you　do　that；　of　course；　unless　you　want　to。　　I　merely　bring　it　up；　Mr。　Butler；　because　I　am　sure　that　if　it　hadn't　been　for　Aileen　you　would　not　have　taken　the　course　you　have　taken　toward　me。　　I　understood　you　received　an　anonymous　letter；　and　that　afternoon　you　called　your　loan　with　me。　　Since　then　I　have　heard　from　one　source　and　another　that　you　were　strongly　against　me；　and　I　merely　wish　to　say　that　I　wish　you　wouldn't　be。　　I　am　not　guilty　of　embezzling　any　sixty　thousand　dollars；　and　you　know　it。　　My　intentions　were　of　the　best。　I　did　not　think　I　was　going　to　fail　at　the　time　I　used　those　certificates；　and　if　it　hadn't　been　for　several　other　loans　that　were　called　I　would　have　gone　on　to　the　end　of　the　month　and　put　them　back　in　time；　as　I　always　had。　　I　have　always　valued　your　friendship　very　highly；　and　I　am　very　sorry　to　lose　it。　　Now　I　have　said　all　I　am　going　to　say。〃

Butler　looked　at　Cowperwood　with　shrewd；　calculating　eyes。　　The　man　had　some　merit；　but　much　unconscionable　evil　in　him。　　Butler　knew　very　well　how　he　had　taken　the　check；　and　a　good　many　other　things　in　connection　with　it。　　The　manner　in　which　he　had　played　his　cards　to…night　was　on　a　par　with　the　way　he　had　run　to　him　on　the　night　of　the　fire。　　He　was　just　shrewd　and　calculating　and　heartless。

〃I'll　make　ye　no　promise；〃　he　said。　　〃Tell　me　where　my　daughter　is；　and　I'll　think　the　matter　over。　　Ye　have　no　claim　on　me　now；　and　I　owe　ye　no　good　turn。　　But　I'll　think　it　over；　anyhow。〃

〃That's　quite　all　right；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃That's　all　I　can　expect。　　But　what　about　Aileen？　Do　you　expect　her　to　leave　Philadelphia？〃

〃Not　if　she　settles　down　and　behaves　herself：　but　there　must　be　an　end　of　this　between　you　and　her。　　She's　disgracin'　her　family　and　ruinin'　her　soul　in　the　bargain。　　And　that's　what　you　are　doin'　with　yours。　　It'll　be　time　enough　to　talk　about　anything　else　when　you're　a　free　man。　　More　than　that　I'll　not　promise。〃

Cowperwood；　satisfied　that　this　move　on　Aileen's　part　had　done　her　a　real　service　if　it　had　not　aided　him　especially；　was　convinced　that　it　would　be　a　good　move　for　her　to　return　to　her　home　at　once。　　He　could　not　tell　how　his　appeal　to　the　State　Supreme　Court　would　eventuate。　　His　motion　for　a　new　trial　which　was　now　to　be　made　under　the　privilege　of　the　certificate　of　reasonable　doubt　might　not　be　granted；　in　which　case　he　would　have　to　serve　a　term　in　the　penitentiary。　　If　he　were　compelled　to　go　to　the　penitentiary　she　would　be　saferbetter　off　in　the　bosom　of　her　family。　　His　own　hands　were　going　to　be　exceedingly　full　for　the　next　two　months　until　he　knew　how　his　appeal　was　coming　out。　　And　after　thatwell；　after　that　he　would　fight　on；　whatever　happened。

During　all　the　time　that　Cowperwood　had　been　arguing　his　case　in　this　fashion　he　had　been　thinking　how　he　could　adjust　this　compromise　so　as　to　retain　the　affection　of　Aileen　and　not　offend　her　sensibilities　by　urging　her　to　return。　　He　knew　that　she　would　not　agree　to　give　up　seeing　him；　and　he　was　not　willing　that　she　should。　　Unless　he　had　a　good　and　sufficient　reason；　he　would　be　playing　a　wretched　part　by　telling　Butler　where　she　was。　　He　did　not　intend　to　do　so　until　he　saw　exactly　how　to　do　itthe　way　that　would　make　it　most　acceptable　to　Aileen。　　He　knew　that　she　would　not　long　be　happy　where　she　was。　　Her　flight　was　due　in　part　to　Butler's　intense　opposition　to　himself　and　in　part　to　his　determination　to　make　her　leave　Philadelphia　and　behave；　but　this　last　was　now　in　part　obviated。　　Butler；　in　spite　of　his　words；　was　no　longer　a　stern　Nemesis。　　He　was　a　melting　manvery　anxious　to　find　his　daughter；　very　willing　to　forgive　her。　　He　was　whipped；　literally　beaten；　at　his　own　game；　and　Cowperwood　could　see　it　in　the　old　man's　eyes。　　If　he　himself　could　talk　to　Aileen　personally　and　explain　just　how　things　were；　he　felt　sure　he　could　make　her　see　that　it　would　be　to　their　mutual　advantage；　for　the　present　at　least；　to　have　the　matter　amicably　settled。　　The　thing　to　do　was　to　make　Butler　wait　somewherehere；　possiblywhile　he　went　and　talked　to